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- The Online Reference Guide to World War II German Helmets 1933-1945

Collector Topics: Camouflage - M1935
Luftwaffe Normandie Camouflage

This Luftwaffe M1935 helmet was found
in Norway in 2003. The helmet is believed to have been worn
during the battles in Normandy between June and September 1944.
The helmet was originally issued in a double decal configuration but
later repainted by brush with a thick coat of matt "panzer tan"
paint. The colors of brown and green were then spray painted
over the surface of the helmet. Combinations of both hand and
spray painted camouflage helmets are more common than what modern
helmet collectors tend to believe. This process is explainable
in the sense that most helmets with camouflage configurations were
painted at military supply and distribution stations. One can
image an "assembly process" that includes several soldiers painting
helmets with a brush while others are finishing up the process with
spray paint after the tan paint has dried. None of the decals
remain visible under the paint.